Two players captained the Montreal Canadiens for 10 years: the late great Jean Beliveau and the Canadiens’ 70th-overall pick’s father, Saku Koivu. Although the odds he would be drafted were high, Aatos Koivu decided not to go to the draft, preferring not to disturb his training. He will also miss the Canadiens’ development camp starting Tuesday, July 2. Here’s what the team’s codirectors of Amateur Scouting thought about his selection, his reaction, and how the Montreal fans reacted to that pick.
We Liked the Player, Not Just the Name
While Martin Lapointe and Nick Bobrov felt like Ivan Demidov was the steal of the draft, they looked pretty chuffed about selecting Koivu with the first of the team’s two third-round picks.
Martin Lapointe explained:
We watched Aatos a lot this season. He’s a responsible guy on the ice, a guy who is very dedicated to hockey. Obviously, his dad was also a player, and Saku’s talent has carried over to Aatos. We like how responsible he is on the ice and he’s going to keep improving.
He also added that Koivu would be a center in the NHL but would need to improve physically to get stronger, and the organization was confident he could do that.
As for Nick Bobrov, he said:
We liked him as a player regardless of his last name so we’ll start with that. He’s a late blooming kid, he started playing at U18 level and then everything came at him really fast at him U20, national team, TPS (Turku), pro games and Liiga. So, for a kid who was smaller just a week ago and grew quickly, there’s a lot of growth potential. Clearly, his dad taught him well, his habits are already pro, but the body needs to develop. Our job is to project and project the physique and where he can get to in five years.
Furthermore, Bobrov mentioned the young man has lived in a household used to pressure, and the young Koivu knows what it’s about, and he would feel comfortable in Montreal.
Koivu Will Make His Own Name
As for the Canadiens’ prospect, he said:
Unreal feeling right now. I’m super super happy, I can’t find the words right now to describe what I’m feeling but extremely happy and excited. Montreal as an organization and a city everything is just unbelievable.
I don’t think it’s going to be tougher in any way because I can make a name for myself, just playing the way I can play and being myself and being the best player possible. Obviously people will know who my dad is and where he played and when and it’s always going to be that way in Montreal and I don’t think it’s a bad thing and I’ll be able to make a name for myself there as well and it’s not going to be any different than any other place.
The youngster got some advice from Koivu senior. When asked what his father said about the draft, Koivu explained his dad told him it didn’t matter who drafts you and when; what matters is that someone drafts you. However, he’s heard only good things about Montreal, the fans, the city, and the Bell Centre, and he’s heard only good things from his family. So, he’s super pumped they picked him.
Koivu describes himself as a two-way center who can play responsibly in both directions. He adds that his strengths are his skating, his shot, and his ability to read the game. As for who in the NHL best fits his style, he opted for Sebastian Aho. It looks like the Canadiens will finally get an Aho….in a way.
How the Fans Reacted to the Pick
In Montreal, S. Koivu is a well-liked and respected player. Even though he never took the Canadiens to a 25th Stanley Cup, it wasn’t for lack of trying. If some criticized him for not speaking French, many fans couldn’t have cared less about that. Overall, fans hold memories of his dad close to their heart.
His dedication, skills, and courage in the face of adversity have cemented his reputation as one of the greats in Montreal, and there have been many greats with the Canadiens in the past 115 years.
Related: Canadiens Can Add Next Generation of Koivu in 2024 NHL Draft
This might explain why social media was ablaze with reaction after the Canadiens selected the younger Koivu. Even if most of them probably hadn’t even seen him play, it didn’t matter. The simple mention of the name had them talking, and 85% of the followers who replied to my homemade survey said they were happy with the pick. When Koivu finally comes to town, he’ll immediately experience what pressure is.
